Soap dispenser



July 14; 1959 R. c. MANSPERGER 2,894,662

v SOAP DISPENSER Filed June 5, 1957 i '2 Shasta-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.Richard C. Manape/ger.

ATTORNEYS y 1959 R. c. MANSPERGER 2,894,662

SOAP DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1957 v INVENTOR. RichardC. Manspe/gen W MW A 7'7'ORNEYS- SOAP DISPENSER Richard C. Mansperger,Kansas City, Mo. Application June 5, 1957, Serial No. 663,662 4 Claims.(Cl. 222-242) This invention relates to a dispensing apparatus, and moreparticularly to dispensers for powdered soap and the like such as areused in publiclavatories, factory washrooms and similar places.

Soap dispensers in common use frequently become inoperative due to thepacking of the powdered soap and the like around valve openings or portsor the bridging of the soap in the container adjacent the valveopenings. Such conditions are accelerated when using material such assoap which has a tendency to cake or agglomerate, especially under humidor moist conditions. When the dispensing of the soap is inadequate duetobridging or lumps, the users may attempt to gain entry to the dis penserto obtain some soap, thereby aggravating the condition, and in someinstances the dispensers are rendered inoperative by persons playfullyor maliciously putting water or other foreign objects into thedispenser.

The objects of the present invention are to provide a soap dispenserthat is substantially free of all operating difiiculties; to providesuch a soap dispenser with a metering valve and discharge that ispositive in operation dispensing a limited quantity of soap with eachoperation of the metering valve; to provide a soap dispenser withoperating members held together by spring pressure; and to provide asoap dispenser which is economical to manufacture, of attractiveappearance, and efiicient in operation, easily serviced and maintained.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, Ihave provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of whichis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a soap dispenser embodying the featuresof the present invention in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the .soap dispenser looking generallyfrom the rear thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the soap dispenser.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal .sectional view through the dispenser on the line4-4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view through the dispenser on theline 5--5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view through the dispenser on the line6-6, Fig. .3.

Fig. 7 is a horizonal sectional view through the dispenser on the line7-7, Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the dispenser on the line8-8, Fig. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a soap dispenser having a hollow body or container 2 forcontaining a suitable quantity of powdered soap. The container 2includes jafront wall 3 and side walls 4 and 5 which are preferablyformed of a single sheet of transparent synthetic resin formed in aU-shape whereby the front wall is substantially semicylindrical and theside walls are relatively flat and terminate in vertical edges 6 at therear of the container. A'rear wall 7 has forwardly extending sideflanges 8 United States Patent adapted to overlie the rear portion ofthe side walls 4 and 5. Ribs 9 are on the rear wall 7 and extendforwardly therefrom in spaced relation to the side flanges 8 to engagethe inner surface of the walls 4 and 5 to hold same against lateraldisplacement. Spaced fingers 10 extend forwardly from the rear wall 7 toengage and support a strainer 11 with the bottom portion 12 thereofspaced below the upper edge 13 of the walls 3, 4 and 5, said strainerhaving upwardly extending portions 14 en.- gaging the inner surfaces ofsaid walls and terminating at the upper edge 13 of the container walls.The screen 11 is preferably formed of wire suitably spaced whereby thepowdered soap can be poured therethrough but large lumps are retainedand prevented from passage into the container.

A container top member 15 has shoulders 16 resting on the upper edge 13of the walls 3, 4 and 5. The top member 15 has depending flanges 17extending downwardly and engaged with the exterior surface of the upperportion of said container walls. The rear portion of the top member hasa depending wall 18 engaging an upper extension 19 of the rear wall 7and is secured thereto by suitable fastening devices such as screws 20.The top member has a rearwardly extending portion 21 terminating in anedge 22 in vertical alignment with the rear surfaces 23 of lugs 24 onthe lower portion of the rear wall as later described. The top member 15has a fill opening 25 normally closed by a cover member 26 having an arm27 hingedly mounted by a hinge pin 28 on spaced bars 29 upstanding fromthe rear portion of the top member 15. A suitable lock 30 is preferablyarranged on the forward portion of the cover member 26 and is operableto engage the top member to hold the cover member in closed position.

The dispenser mounting lugs 24 extend rearwardly and laterally from thelower portion of the rear plate 7 and preferably have V-shaped grooves31 in the rear portion thereof whereby the dispenser may be mounted on ahorizontal pipe 32 by means of a clamp member 33 secured to the lugs bysuitable fastening devices 34. If desired, the rear faces 23 of the lugsmay engage a vertical wall and the dispenser secured to said wall byfastening devices extending through holes 35 in the lugs.

A bottom plate 36 is arranged at the lower ends of the walls 3, 4, 5 and7, and has an upstanding flange 37 engaging the exterior of the lowerportion of the walls 3, 4 and 5 of the container, the rear of theupstanding flange 37 engaging the forward edge of the flanges 8 of therear wall, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The bottom plate is secured bysuitable fastening devices such as screws 38 to a de: flector 39arranged in the container at the rear thereof, said deflector beingsecured to the rear wall 7 by suitable fastening devices such as screws40. The screws 38 hold the bottom plate 36 tight against the lower edgesof the walls 3, 4 and 5 and the screws 40 draw the flange 37 against thewall 3 and the edges 6 against the wall 17 to provide a tight sealbetween the parts.

A dispensing plate 41 is mounted in spaced relation to the bottom plate36 and has a plurality of outwardly extending ears 42 which align withcorresponding ears 43 extending outwardly from the bottom plate 36, thecars 42 having apertures 44 extending tiherethrough for the shanks 45 ofscrews 46 which are screwed into threaded openings 47 in the ears 43 andserve as guide posts for the plate 41, the heads 48 of the screws areusually spaced slightly from the bottom of the dispensing plate andserve as stops to limit downward movement or tipping of the dispensingplate. The screws 46 may be adjusted to vary the spacing between thebottom .face 49 of the bottom plate and the heads 48 but always hold thedispensing plate 41 against rotation. The bottom plate and dispensingplate have aligned apertures or bearing openings 51 and 52 respectivelyto rotatably mount hub 53 of a valve plate member 54 which issubstantially cylindrical and has a plurality of spaced finger lugs 55extending substantially radially therefrom. The valve plate member has aplurality of elongated metering openings 56 extending verticallytherethrough and spaced from the hub members to register with anelongated opening 57 in the bottom plate 36, and also register with adispensing opening 58 in the dispensing plate 41, said openings 56, 57and 53 each being equally spaced from the axis of rotation of the valveplate 54. The number of finger lugs 55 on the valve plate member 54preferably corresponds in number to the number of metering openings 56therein. In the illustrated structure, there are four elongated meteringopenings 56 in the valve plate, each of suitable size whereby theopenings define a volume of soap to be dispensed at one operation of thevalve member. The opening 58 in the dispensing plate 41 substantiallycorresponds in area and shape to the openings 56 in the valve plate withthe distance between adjacent ends of the openings 53 and 57 beinggreater than the length of the openings 56 whereby there cannot be anysimultaneous registry of the openings for flow of soap from the interiorof the container to the opening 58.

Ring gaskets 59 and 66 are arranged in concentric relation between thevalve plate 54 and bottom plate member 36 and similar gaskets 61 and 62are arranged between the valve plate 54 and the dispensing plate 41 toprevent soap from moving inwardly or outwardly between the respectiveplates. The gaskets 59, 6h, 61 and 62 are preferably secured to thevalve plate 54 by adhesive to hold them in desired position relative theflow openings. The gaskets also provide spacing between the platemembers and the areas between the dispensing passages or openings. Thisarrangement reduces the friction that results from soap particlestending to move between contacting metal surfaces.

An agitator 63 is arranged in the container and has a hub 64 providedwith a shank 65 that extends through an opening 66 in the valve platemember 54 in axial relation thereto. A portion 67 of the shank 65 is ofpolygonal shape and fits in a similar shaped counterbore 68 in the valveplate to key the agitator to said plate. A gasket 69 is arranged underthe agitator hub in engagement with the top surface of the bottom plate36 to prevent the soap from entering therebetween. A spring 70 issleeved on the shank 65 below the dispensing plate 41 with one endengaging the dispensing plate and the other end engaging a washer 71held in place by a suit able pin 72 or other fastening device at the endof the shank whereby the spring is compressed and holds the agitatoragainst the gasket 69 and urges the dispensing plate 41 and valve plate54 toward the bottom plate to maintain the seals with the gaskets andprovide a constant resistance to rotation of the valve plate 54. Theagitator is provided with radially extending arms 73 extending outwardlyfrom the lower portion of the agitator hub and adapted to pass under ahoulder 7!- fonncd by a groove or recess 75 in the deflector 39 wherebythe arms cooperate with the shoulder to tend to break up any lumps inthe soap. Other arms 76 extend from the agitator hub in verticallyspaced relation to the arms '73 to further cooperate with the deflectorsurface 77 which I is inclined downwardly and forwardly from the rearwall 7 and is concave in horizontal cross-section for cooperation withthe agitator to assure that soap is delivered to the dispensing opening.

The dispensing plate has an annular depending flange 78 extending belowthe end of the shank 65 and spaced outwardly from the dispensingopenings whereby the user can place his hand at the lower part of theflange 78 and soap will be dispensed through the area defined thereby tosaid hand in response to operation of the valve plate member 54-.

In operating a soap dispenser constructed and mounted as described, thecover 26 is unlocked and opened and soap placed into the containerwhereby all of the soap entering the lower portion of the container mustbe of a fineness to pass through the screen 11. Then the cover is closedand locked in place. When soap is to be dispensed, the operator graspsone of the finger lugs and rotates the valve plate member 54 until thefinger lug moves between the forward extending cars 42 and 43, at whichposition a metering opening 56 registers with the opening 58 and soappowder will drop into the operators hand placed below the annular flange78. At this time the diametrically opposite metering opening 56registers with the opening 57 whereby additional soap can move from thecontainer into the respective opening 56 in the valve plate member. Theopening 57 is substantially longer than the openings 56 in the valveplate member as illustrated in Fig. 6 whereby on the next rotation ofthe valve plate member there is ample time for soap to enter theopenings 56 of the valve plate member. Simultaneously with rotation ofthe valve plate member, the agitator is rotated whereby the arms thereoncooperate with the deflector to cause the soap to flow downwardly andforwardly, break up lumps and prevent bridging of the soap relative tothe opening 57. The spring 70 urges the dispensing plate 41 and valveplate 54 toward the bottom plate whereby the gaskets 59, 60, 61 and 62maintain a seal and provide a friction that prevents the valve platefrom being turned with suificient force to cause any additional movementthereof other than the positive movement caused by the pressure of apersons finger on the respective finger lugs 155. The gaskets preventsoap from entering between the valve plate and the bottom plate 36 ordispensing plate 41 except in the space between the gaskets 59 and 60 orgaskets 61 and 62 and the spring 70 is such that there is no binding inthe operating parts. If there should be any difficulty occurring, thescrews 46 may be loosened or removed whereby the operating structurescan quickly be cleaned and the dispenser placed back in operation.

It is believed that I have provided a soap dispenser that is positiveand eflicient in dispensing soap powder, that has few operating partsand is characterized by an absence of maintenance problems.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described oneform of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispenser for powdered soap and the like comprising, a containerhaving a bottom plate, a dispensing plate under the bottom plate invertically spaced relation thereto, cooperative guide means on thebottom plate and dispensing plate for guiding said dispensing plate forvertical movement toward the bottom plate and retaining said dispensingplate and bottom plate against relative rotation, a valve plate betweenthe bottom plate and dis pensing plate, means rotatably supporting thevalve plate for rotation on a central axis, resilient means urging thedispensing plate toward the valve plate and both the dispensing plateand valve plate toward the bottom plate, said bottom plate having anelongated discharge port spaced radially from the axis of rotation ofthe valve plate, a plurality of spaced metering openings in the valveplate equally spaced from the axis of rotation thereof whereby rotationof the valve plate moves the metering opening into registry with theport in the bottom plate, said dispensing plate having a dispensing porttherein registrable with the metering ports in the valve plate inresponse to rotation of said valve plate, said dispensing port being onthe opposite side of the valve plate axis relative to the port in thebottom plate with the circumferential spacing such that the meteringopenings register with ports in the bottom and dispensing plates only atdifierent points during rotation through a complete turn of the valveplate, radially extending lugs on the valve plate for moving the same,spaced concentric gaskets between said bottom plate and said valveplate, and spaced concentric gaskets between said dispensing plate andsaid valve plate, said concentric gaskets between the respective plateshaving adjacent edges spaced from the metering openings in said valveplate.

2. A dispenser for powdered soap and the like comprising, a containerhaving side walls and a bottom plate, a dispensing plate under thebottom plate in vertically spaced relation thereto, cooperative guidemeans on the bottom plate and dispensing plate for guiding saiddispensing plate for vertical movement toward the bottom plate andretaining said dispensing plate and bottom plate against relativerotation, a valve plate between the bottom plate and dispensing plate,means rotatably supporting the valve plate for rotation on a centralaxis, resilient means urging the dispensing plate toward the valve plateand both the dispensing plate and valve plate toward the bottom plate,said bottom plate having an elongated discharge port spaced radiallyfrom the axis of rotation of the valve plate, a plurality of spacedmetering openings in the valve plate equally spaced from the axis ofrotation thereof whereby rotation of the valve plate moves the meteringopening into registry with the port in the bottom plate, said dispensingplate having a dispensing port therein registrable with the meteringports in the valve plate in response to rotation of said valve plate,said dispensing port being on the opposite side of the valve plate axisrelative to the port in the bottom plate with the circumferentialspacing such that the metering openings register with ports in thebottom and dispensing plates only at ditferent points during rotationthrough a complete turn of the valve plate, means on the valve plate forrotating same, an agitator in the container adjacent the bottom plateand having radially extending arms spaced vertically apart, means keyingthe agitator to the valve plate for rotation therewith, and a deflectorin the container extending from said bottom plate between said dischargeport and the adjacent side wall upwardly and thence laterally to saidadjacent side wall, said deflector having a groove adjacent the bottomplate for receiving the lower most of said radially extending armswhereby the agitator and deflector cooperate for breaking soap lumps inresponse to rotation of said agitator.

3. A dispenser for powdered soap and the like comprising, a containerhaving a bottom plate with a central bearing opening and an elongatedport radially spaced from said opening, a dispensing plate under thebottom plate in vertically spaced relation thereto, cooperative guidemeans on the bottom plate and dispensing plate for guiding saiddispensing plate for vertical movement toward the bottom plate andretaining said dispensing plate and bottom plate against relativerotation, said bottom plate and dispensing plate having paralleladjacent faces, a valve plate having opposite parallel faces between thebottom plate and dispensing plate, a shaft rotatably supporting thevalve plate for rotation on the axis of the bearing opening in thebottom plate, said shaft extending through the respective bearingopenings into the container and below the dispensing plate, a pluralityof spaced metering openings in the valve plate equally spaced from theaxis of rotation thereof whereby rotation of the valve plate moves themetering opening into registry with the port in the bottom plate, saiddispensing plate having a dispensing port therein registrable with themetering ports in the valve plate in response to rotation of said valveplate, said dispensing port being on the opposite side of the valveplate axis relative to the port in the bottom plate with thecircumferential spacing such that the metering openings register withports in the bottom and dispensing plates only at different pointsduring rotation through a complete turn of the valve plate, means on the6 valve plate for rotating same, an agitator secured on said shaft inthe container adjacent the bottom plate whereby the agitator is keyed tothe valve plate for rotation therewith, a deflector in the container,cooperative means on the agitator and deflector for breaking soap lumpsin response to rotation of said agitator, and resilient means on saidshaft below the dispensing plate for urging the dispensing plate andvalve plate toward the bottom plate.

4. A dispenser for powdered soap and the like comprising, a containerhaving a bottom plate with a central bearing opening and an elongatedport radially spaced from said opening, a dispensing plate under thebottom plate in vertically spaced relation thereto, cooperative guidemeans on the bottom plate and dispensing plate for guiding saiddispensing plate for vertical movement toward the bottom plate andretaining said dispensing plate and bottom plate against relativerotation, said bottom plate and dispensing plate having paralleladjacent faces, a valve plate having opposite parallel faces between thebottom plate and dispensing plate, a shaft rotatably supporting thevalve plate for rotation on the axis of the bearing opening in thebottom plate, said shaft extending through the respective bearingopenings into the container and below the dispensing plate, a pluralityof spaced metering openings in the valve plate equally spaced from theaxis of rotation thereof whereby rotation of the valve plate moves themetering opening into registry with the port in the bottom plate, saiddispensing plate having a dispensing port therein registrable with themetering ports in the valve plate in response to rotation of said valveplate, said dispensing port being on the opposite side of the valveplate axis relative to the port in the bottom plate with thecircumferential spacing such that the metering openings register withports in the bottom and dispensing plates only at different pointsduring rotation through a complete turn of the valve plate, radiallyextending lugs on the valve plate corresponding in number to the numberof metering openings therein, spaced means on the bottom plate anddispensing plate between which a finger lug moves when a meteringopening is in registry with the port in the dispensing plate and anotherfinger lug is exposed for the next rotative movement of the valve plate,an agitator secured on said shaft in the container adjacent the bottomplate whereby the agitator is keyed to the valve plate for rotationtherewith, seal means be tween said agitator and said bottom plate, adeflector in the container, cooperative means on the agitator anddeflector for breaking soap lumps in response to rotation of saidagitator, resilient means on said shaft below the dispensing plate forurging the dispensing plate and valve plate toward the bottom plate, anannular depending flange on the dispensing plate around the dispensingport therein, spaced concentric gaskets between the valve plate andbottom plate, and spaced concentric gaskets between the valve plate anddispensing plate, said concentric gaskets between the respective plateshaving adjacent edges spaced from the metering openings in said valveplate.

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